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The journey for variety, substitutes, and downright deliciousness
When dealing with autoimmunity, gut issues, and chronic infections (like Lyme Disease and others), food sensitivities or even intolerances start become common place. We begin to reduce our diets down to safer options in a dire attempt to reduce symptoms and live more full lives. As time goes on I’m sure some of you have noticed that the list of approved food continues to get more and more restricted. I know for myself it got to a point where I couldn’t eat anything on the run unless it was a whole food like a banana, or just a bottle of water without digestive upset or symptoms flaring. However, as I’ve searched for more flexibility and have been able to broaden my food options, I have found a lot of great pre-packaged snacks and even treats for at home or on the go!
I wanted to share products I’ve tried (both good and bad) so that you have more options/flexibility and feel like you aren’t missing out on life. If you’ve ever been scared to try new foods, believe me I’ve been there and I feel for you. The stress of uncertainty and the possibility that new foods could cause a flare up of symptoms is no joke. Whether you feel stuck when out of the house with nothing to eat, or just bored of the same old “safe” options that have become staples in your diet, then I hope these recommendations can help.
Finding contentedness in misery can be challenging, especially when friends, family, or coworkers are all enjoying some of your favorite dishes, snacks, and desserts (I’m looking at you gluten and dairy). Personally, I avoid most major allergens including milk, eggs (most of the time), peanuts, wheat, and soy. For the majority of my meals I follow the Autoimmune Paleo (AIP) diet which brings me down to a pretty limited list of foods to enjoy (once you remove nightshade vegetables, certain spices, sweeteners, grains, legumes, etc. along with most of the major allergens).
If these frustrations and struggles are ringing any bells for you then I hope my “Food Review” posts can help. In short, the goal of these posts is to show you various options for sensitive tummies or full on ingredient intolerance. The snacks and meals featured and reviewed might broaden your choices and offer more “compliant” variety to your life. Each food item will be reviewed against a list of criteria (to keep things consistent), such as:
– Taste: Is it too bland, too strong, sweet, not sweet enough? Does it closely resemble the more conventional food it replaces or is it more like edible cardboard?
– Availability: Is this something I can find in any store or is it a specialty item in select locations only?
– Affordability: How much can I expect to pay, does it go on sale, is it worth the price?
– Compliance: Are there certain diets this food item is compatible with?
All categories will be associated with some kind of star rating to let you know just how awesome, or terrible, the food is. But remember, these reviews are completely subjective and while I might find that some substitute ice cream can help me reach enlightenment, you might think it tastes like dirt but here’s hoping that is not the case!
Everyone doesn’t have the option to fully prepare and enjoy all meals at home… so I’ll be reviewing a plethora of snacks and prepared meals that you can grab on the go or whip up in a few easy steps. Since a lot of autoimmune, Lyme Disease and mystery illness sufferers out there are held back by food sensitivities and intolerances, let’s try to find some new options that can widen our horizons and maybe even help us to feel a bit more “normal” in our day to day lives.
One more thing before we get started, it is important to remember that all of us respond to food differently. What works for me might not work for you and vice versa. You might react to tapioca starch or some gluten substitutes and I may not. These are personal experiences (and experiments) to find ways to broaden strict diets and find more enjoyment in our food options. The way that I approach trying new food is a steady stair step approach, listening to my body, and knowing what signs to look for if inflammation is afoot. This way I can have a pretty good idea about certain foods which might not be the best idea for my healing (or just general digestive comfort). Just remember to take it slow, and if you have any true allergies or intolerances it doesn’t hurt to consult your doctor/medical professionals first before jumping into something new.
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